Circana: Xbox US Unit Sales at All-Time Low, PlayStation Lowest Since 2013

Mat Piscatella, video games industry advisor at Circana, posted 2026 year-to-date US console hardware figures from Circana’s US Retail Tracking Service in a thread on Bluesky on 9 de octubre de 2026: Xbox hardware unit sales are down 33% versus a year ago and at an all-time low, while PlayStation hardware units are 25% lower and at their lowest point since 2013.

In the same thread, Piscatella reported that the average price a consumer has paid for a new Xbox console in the 2026 year-to-date period ending August is $529, 26% higher than a year ago, while the average PlayStation console has sold for $597, 20% higher than last year. Both prices are at all-time US highs, he said, and price sensitivity is becoming a real issue.

He said the release of what he called the Big Video Game in November could help ease at least some of the declines, though he said that would depend on product availability given the RAM and component crisis, and on pricing. Asked why he avoids naming the game, he said that posting the title itself tends to draw a wave of unusual activity and that he would rather not.

Piscatella’s broader warning came in the same thread: “The US hardware market has not been in a more precarious position since the early 80s.”

A November Launch and Rising Component Costs

Circana’s own 2026 forecast, published 11 de febrero de 2026, says Grand Theft Auto VI launches in November and carries the highest purchase intent Circana has ever recorded in its tracking history, with a possible boost across hardware, accessories, and subscription demand. The forecast also warned that rising prices for RAM, GPUs, CPUs, and storage, driven by AI data center demand, could put further pressure on hardware availability and affordability.

According to the forecast, total US consumer spending on video game hardware, content, and accessories reached $60.7 billion in 2025, up 1.4% over 2024. Circana projected 3% growth to $62.8 billion in 2026, which would surpass the all-time high of $61.7 billion set in 2021.

The forecast credited the Nintendo Switch 2, which it called the fastest-selling home console in US history after its first seven months on the market, with offsetting year-over-year hardware spending declines across other platforms. It also cited findings from Circana’s Future of Video Games report: weighing potential cost increases from tariffs or other factors, 38% of consumers would purchase fewer full-price games at launch, 34% would wait longer for games to go on sale, and 27% would spend more time playing free-to-play games.

August Hardware Results

The year-to-date figures came a day after Piscatella posted Circana’s agosto de 2026 US video game market highlights on 8 de octubre de 2026. Total projected US spending across content, hardware, and accessories dipped 9% in August versus a year ago, to $4.3 billion. Hardware spending fell 3% to $302 million, and year-to-date hardware spending finished August 11% behind 2025’s pace, at $2.5 billion.

According to Circana’s data, total August hardware unit sales fell 15% versus a year ago to 559,000 units, the lowest total for an August month since 2013, when 423,000 units were sold. PlayStation hardware unit sales fell 11% to their lowest August since 2013, Xbox hardware unit sales declined 31% to their lowest August since 2020, and Nintendo hardware unit sales dipped 15%.

PlayStation 5 hardware dollar sales grew 17% in August, growth that Circana said was offset by 13% spending drops across both Xbox Series and Switch 2 hardware. The average price paid for a new unit of video game hardware in the US reached an August record of $541, surpassing the previous August record of $476 set a year earlier. The Switch 2 led the US hardware market in both unit and dollar sales for August and the year-to-date period, with PlayStation 5 ranking second across both measures and time periods.

Circana’s figures put content spending down 10% in August to $3.8 billion, with year-to-date content spending trailing 2025 by 2% at $32.2 billion. Mobile was the primary driver of the overall August spending decline, falling 18%, with mobile spending data provided by Sensor Tower. Console content spending declined 7%, PC content spending increased 13%, and subscription spending grew 3%.

Price Outlook and Platform Strategy

Asked in the October 9 thread when console prices might normalize, Piscatella said he was hoping for 2028. On Nintendo, he said the Switch 2 is doing fine, though recent price increases have slowed its momentum.

Asked by another follower whether the numbers were good news, he said he did not believe so.

One follower asked what kind of existential threat the market poses for the industry’s biggest players, and whether Sony could weather the storm until consumer pricing improves. Piscatella replied: “Well, now you know why Sony’s current strategy is ‘prioritizing monetization of the installed base to date.'”

Piscatella said Circana’s September US video game market results will be released on 22 de octubre de 2026.